Chapter 86: Chapter 84: Ancient Books Can Get You Killed
During the time he spent with Little Yue’Er, they had faced life and death together, becoming inseparable through hardship.
Little Yue’Er had come to occupy a profoundly important place in Jiang Jichen’s heart.
How could Jiang Jichen ever let anything happen to that kind, lovely little girl who had wanted to cry just so her tears could heal his wounds?
Without any regard for startling the powerful Fierce Beasts in the depths of the Moonlight Forest, Jiang Jichen pressed forward at extreme speed.
Yet, despite his speed, his mind was unnervingly calm. He listened intently to Han Qing’s account through the Sound Transmission Jade, carefully absorbing every last detail.
According to Han Qing, they were near the end of the central region of the Moonlight Forest. Han Qing had used the Deep Earth Concealment Secret Technique to open up a space underground, where the three of them had hidden. For several days, they had remained undiscovered.
But just moments ago, a mysterious Fierce Beast had suddenly appeared. It tore through the thick soil and instantly immobilized both Han Qing and Zhang Xiaoyu. Only Little Yue’Er was able to move freely, entirely unaffected.
The mysterious Fierce Beast was as snow-white as the moon, its entire body glowing with moonlight.
It came and went in a flash, lifting Little Yue’Er onto its back with a Moonlight Spiritual Power Cloud before vanishing into the depths of the Moonlight Forest.
As for Han Qing and Zhang Xiaoyu, they were able to move again the moment the mysterious Fierce Beast vanished, completely unharmed.
Then, Han Qing had immediately contacted Jiang Jichen!
The entire process was just that simple, but Jiang Jichen was able to deduce a great deal from it.
’It seems the mysterious Fierce Beast has no malicious intent. Little Yue’Er should be safe for the time being.’
"I need to go deeper into the Moonlight Forest and see for myself. I won’t be able to rest until I see Little Yue’Er. Han Qing, Zhang Xiaoyu, you two leave the Moonlight Forest now. I have a feeling something major is about to happen here!"
Learning that Little Yue’Er was likely safe for now gave Jiang Jichen some peace of mind. However, he had a nagging feeling that something momentous was about to occur, so he used the Sound Transmission Jade to urge Han Qing and Zhang Xiaoyu to leave the Moonlight Forest as quickly as possible.
After relaying his instructions, Jiang Jichen continued deeper into the Moonlight Forest.
Night was falling, and Darkness descended. Deep within the Moonlight Forest, the ancient trees were enormous and grew ever more dense.
Jiang Jichen could already sense the dangers lurking in the Darkness—mysterious Restrictions, ferocious Spirit Beasts, and even Forbidden Lands. A single misstep could lead to one’s demise.
Fortunately, his Divine Soul was powerful and unusually perceptive, allowing him to sense dangers in advance and nimbly avoid them.
But the farther he progressed, the more arduous it became. On several occasions, he nearly alerted ferocious Spirit Beasts at the Innate Seventh Layer, stepped on a lethal Ancient Prohibition, or stumbled into a Forbidden Land.
His injuries were only fifty percent healed, which put him at a great disadvantage as he advanced deeper into the Moonlight Forest.
’Since Little Yue is safe for now... and based on Han Qing’s description, the mysterious Fierce Beast was as white as the moon and radiated moonlight... that sounds like the legendary Moonlight Beast. Little Yue’Er has the Moon God Spirit Body. Could it be taking her to the Moonlight Forest’s Land of Creation?’
Jiang Jichen analyzed the situation carefully. The appearance of the Void Treasure in the Moonlight Forest, followed by the arrival of experts stronger than Grandmasters, led him to deduce that the deepest part of the forest must hide a world-shaking secret—a secret that was, by extension, a tremendous opportunity.
In other words, while the deepest part of the Moonlight Forest was the greatest Land of Creation, it was also undoubtedly the most treacherous place!
’In that case, I don’t need to rush headlong into the forest’s depths. I should focus on healing as I advance.’
Having made his decision, Jiang Jichen advanced deeper into the Moonlight Forest by day, and hid himself away at night to heal and cultivate.
Five days later, Jiang Jichen’s injuries had completely healed. Having survived numerous life-and-death battles, his Cultivation was now even stronger. Though he hadn’t broken through to a new Realm, his combat prowess had increased by a full twenty percent. Furthermore, his Divine Soul, having endured the torment of the Soul-Chasing Nail, had grown more powerful upon recovery, now comparable to that of an expert at the Innate Fifth Realm!
Jiang Jichen was now much closer to the deepest part of the Moonlight Forest, and he could constantly sense the auras of powerful Fierce Beasts.
A Perfection Level King Beast, equivalent to the Grandmaster Realm!
Using Invisibility, Jiang Jichen stood atop a towering ancient tree, gazing into the distance and sensing the formidable aura emanating from the peak ahead.
Before him lay Heaven-Gazing Peak, and sprawled across its summit was an enormous Fierce Crocodile.
It was a Heaven-Gazing Crocodile, ten feet wide and over a hundred feet long. It lay on the peak with its huge, round eyes wide open, staring blankly at the sky. Its expression seemed somewhat melancholic, but... it was more likely just asleep.
Sleeping while gazing at the heavens was, after all, the signature trait of the Heaven-Gazing Crocodile.
The paths on either side of Heaven-Gazing Peak were dead ends, completely filled with Restrictions, making them impassable.
Trying to bypass the peak from the sides was also not an option. Only the central path—the very spot where the Heaven-Gazing Crocodile lay—was free of Restrictions.
As for flying over, the areas with Restrictions were undoubtedly flight-prohibited. The only path forward was across Heaven-Gazing Peak itself.
The only problem was the Heaven-Gazing Crocodile on Heaven-Gazing Peak.
Jiang Jichen wondered who would possibly dare to fly over the head of a Heaven-Gazing Crocodile.
According to the Ancient Books, it didn’t matter if the Heaven-Gazing Crocodile was asleep; if anything flew through its field of vision—blocking its view of the sky—it would awaken instantly.
If it was an inanimate object, the beast would tear it to shreds. If it was a living creature, it would still be torn to shreds!
How could such a bizarre and terrifying creature even exist in this world?
And it just had to be blocking the only path into the depths of the Moonlight Forest. Jiang Jichen felt completely speechless and helpless.
’Flying over Heaven-Gazing Peak is completely out of the question. My only choice is to sneak past it on the ground!’
Seeing no other option, Jiang Jichen gritted his teeth and began to stealthily approach Heaven-Gazing Peak.
Crawling across the peak was infinitely safer than flying over it, but it was still fraught with peril, as he would have to pass right beside the Heaven-Gazing Crocodile.
This was a Perfection Level King Beast, equivalent to the Grandmaster Realm. A single puff of its breath could tear Jiang Jichen to pieces, ending his life on the spot.
’No wonder it’s a one-way trip for anyone who enters the depths of the Moonlight Forest. In a deadly place like this, only those above the Grandmaster Realm could possibly come and go as they please. Anyone else, even a Grandmaster, would likely perish here.’
Jiang Jichen thought to himself as he began his ascent up Heaven-Gazing Peak.
Heaven-Gazing Peak was neither particularly high nor large. The entire mountain gleamed with a jade-like luster, radiating an exceptionally dense Spiritual Qi.
This was where the Heaven-Gazing Crocodile cultivated. It had been gathering the essence of the heavens and the earth for so long that even an ordinary mountain would have become imbued with spiritual properties.
Jiang Jichen moved like a wisp of smoke, weaving between the rocks with the agility of a spirit monkey. He quickly approached the summit.
However, just as Jiang Jichen pulled himself onto the summit, he suddenly saw a pair of enormous, bell-like eyes looking down at him.
Damn it! Isn’t the Heaven-Gazing Crocodile supposed to be looking up at the sky? What the hell is it doing looking down at me?
Jiang Jichen broke out in a cold sweat that instantly soaked his shirt. He inwardly cursed the Ancient Books for leading him to his doom.
